Czech court sentences brutal, racially-motivated assailant who attacked Romani man in front of children to 7.5 years in prison

Denik.cz has reported that on Monday, 3 May the Regional Court in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic convicted 40-year-old Jiří Jäger of racially-motivated attempted grievous bodily harm and sentenced him to 7.5 years in prison. The verdict has yet to take effect.   

Jäger first insulted Romani people with racist epithets and then used a broken bottle to assault a 28-year-old Romani man who was with his girlfriend and children. The attacker caused lacerations to the victim.

The defendant confessed and signed an agreement about his guilt and punishment during the trial. The attorney for the injured party may appeal the sentence.

The injured party had sought compensation for the loss of his ability to function in society as a result of this incident and the trauma it caused in the amount of CZK 400 000 [EUR 15 500], but the criminal court advised him to file a civil lawsuit for those damages. The attack happened on 11 August 2020 after 20:00 at a public transportation stop in front of the main train station in Ústí nad Labem. 

Jäger insulted Romani people in racist terms by shouting "Fucking cikáni to the gas chambers, cikáni to the gas chambers!", saying that he wanted to murder "cikáni" with a shotgun and yelling: "The cikáni should die!" A 28-year-old Romani man who was there with his girlfriend and children objected to the insults.

Even though children were present, Jäger brutally assaulted the man. "He struck him repeated blows with a broken glass bottle," prosecutor Vladimír Jan confirmed to Denik.cz.  

Jäger hit the Romani man on his head and neck, causing him several lacerations. According to medical experts, the perpetrator could have caused the victim life-threatening injury.

The defendant had a criminal record, having been sentenced previously to one year in prison because of his sympathies for a movement to suppress human rights and freedoms. Despite having confessed to the crime, he confirmed his racist convictions even after Monday's verdict, shouting in the direction of the journalists who were present: "This is all a lie. The cigáni are lying. The black mug should die."